Every Championship free agent as Birmingham City look for transfer deals ahead of summer rebuild
Sunderland and Cardiff City are the only Championship clubs from the season just finished who are yet to publicly confirm their retained lists
Sheffield United have become the latest Championship club to announce their list of released and retained players following their defeat in the play-off final as more free agents become available for transfer this summer.
The Blades have also confirmed the return to their parent clubs of a selection of loan recruits who could interest the likes of Birmingham City as their rebuilding plans get underway.
Alfie Gilchrist, Rob Holding, Harry Soutter, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Harry Clarke, Ben Brereton Diaz and Hamza Choudhury are all heading home after the Blades' failed play-off bid unsure of what their collective futures hold.
The majority of Championship clubs had until May 17 to tell the EFL about the future of players whose contracts are set to expire at the end of June. Clubs involved in the play-offs were granted an extension until four days after their season concluded.
Coventry City and fellow play-off semi-finalists Bristol City have already revealed their lists, while Sheffield United confirmed today that they are in discussions with striker Rhian Brewster and that Jack Robinson has activated an automatic one-year extension by playing a certain number of matches. Robinson made 34 league starts in the 2024/25 season, while Brewster made 18.
There is no deadline for clubs to publicise their lists, and Queens Park Rangers only announced theirs yesterday, confirming the departure of left-back Kenneth Paal and ongoing talks with Jimmy Dunne, Jack Colback, Lucas Andersen and Morgan Fox.
Sunderland and Cardiff City are now the only Championship clubs from the recently concluded season who have yet to publicly confirm their retained lists. Sunderland will be competing in the top flight next term, while Cardiff, currently without a manager, were relegated to League One.
Sunderland do not have any senior players out of contract this summer, while Cardiff players with deals about to expire include Dimitrious Goutas, Yakou Meite, Joe Ralls, Andy Rinomhata and Anwar El Ghazi.
Two of the three clubs relegated from the Premier League - Southampton and Ipswich Town - are yet to announce their decisions, as are Charlton Athletic, who secured promotion via the play-offs from League One on Monday.
Ipswich players whose contracts expire in 2025 include former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe, while it has already been confirmed that midfielder Massimo Luongo will depart. Kyle Walker-Peters is hesitating over a new contract at Southampton, and Adam Lallana may retire.
Blues took League One by storm last season as they raced to a record EFL points total to make it a brief stay in the third tier. Having bankrolled their summer rebuild last year, owners Knighthead are likely to make more cash available to Chris Davies and Co to help make good on their pledge to see Blues a Premier League team again.
But with City subject to more stringent spending rules this term, they will also be keen to ensure value for money in their summer dealing, meaning free agents could have a part to play in their rebuilding plans.
Defender Phil Neumann is already on his way to St Andrew's from Hannover 96, while Davies is understood to be keen to keep Rangers loan duo Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell, potential deals being held up by the lack of a manager at Ibrox.
They are also keen on free agent winger Kwame Poku, but could face top-flight competition for the signature of the 23-year-old who has spent the last four years at Peterborough United.
Clubs publishing their retained lists so far...
Birmingham City
Released: Grant Hanley (centre-half), Lee Myung-Jae (left-back), Lukas Jutkiewicz (striker)
Blackburn Rovers
Released: Dilan Markanday (winger), Jack Vale (forward), Zak Gilsenan (midfielder), Patrick Gamble (centre back), Tom Bloxham (winger), Jordan Eastham (goalkeeper), Rhys Doherty (centre back), Isaac Whitehall (midfielder), Jalil Saadi (midfielder), Alex Baker (forward), Adam Caddick (midfielder), Paul Murphy-Worrell (right back), Lewis Bell (winger), Bradley Taylor (midfielder), Jackson Shorrocks (midfielder), Nathan Willis (midfielder), Stephen Edmondson (midfielder), Teddy Ramwell (defender), Dan Shaw (midfielder, contract cancelled)
Contracts offered: Tyrhys Dolan (winger), Danny Batth (centre back), Andi Weimann (forward)
Option exercised: Ryan Hedges (winger)
Bristol City
Released: Stefan Bajic (goalkeeper), Ayman Benarous (midfielder), Kal Naismith (utility)
In talks: Nahki Wells (striker), Lewis Thomas (goalkeeper)
Burnley
Released: Nathan Redmond (winger), Jonjo Shelvey (midfielder)
In talks: Josh Brownhill (midfielder), CJ Egan-Riley (centre back), Ashley Barnes (striker)
Coventry City
Released: Jamie Paterson (forward)
Options exercised: Jamie Allen (midfielder), Luke Bell (goalkeeper)
Derby County
Released: Tom Barkhuizen (forward), Sonny Bradley (centre-back), Tyrese Fornah (midfielder), Jeff Hendrick (midfielder), Rohan Luthra (goalkeeper), Erik Pieters (defender), Kemar Roofe (forward), Conor Washington (striker)
In talks: Craig Forsyth (defender), Liam Thompson (centre mid)
Hull City
Released: Brandon Fleming (left-back), Callum Jones (midfielder), Nordin Amrabat (winger), Dogukan Sinik (winger)
Option exercised: Joao Pedro (striker)
Leeds United
Released: Josuha Guilavogui (midfielder)
In talks: Sam Byram (right back), Junior Firpo (left back)
Leicester City
Released: Daniel Iversen (goalkeeper), Danny Ward (goalkeeper), Jamie Vardy (striker)
Luton Town
Released: Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (midfielder), Amari’i Bell (left-back), Tim Krul (goalkeeper), Jameson Horlick (goalkeeper), Victor Moses (winger)
Middlesbrough
Released: Jonny Howson (midfielder), Anfernee Dijksteel (right-back)
Millwall
Released: Shaun Hutchinson (centre back), Murray Wallace (centre back), Duncan Watmore (winger), Aaron Connolly (winger)
In talks: George Saville (midfielder), George Honeyman (midfielder), Danny McNamara (right back), Liam Roberts (goalkeeper), George Evans (defender)
Options exercised: Billy Mitchell (midfielder), Joe Bryan (left back), Wes Harding (right back)
Norwich City
Released: Angus Gunn (goalkeeper), Onel Hernández (winger), Jacob Sørensen (centre mid), Jonathan Tomkinson (centre back), Archie Mair (goalkeeper), Lewis Shipley (centre back), Tom Finch (goalkeeper), Adian Manning (midfielder), Ellis Craven (goalkeeper), Daniel Ogwuru (centre forward), Alfie Doy (centre back), Alex Roberts (centre forward), Gabriel Keita (centre back), Kingston Simbai (right back)
In talks: Lewis Dobbin (winger, Aston Villa loan), Jacob Wright (midfielder, Man City)
Oxford United
Released: Josh McEachran, Joe Bennett, Max Woltman, Eddie Brearey and George Franklin
Plymouth Argyle
Released: Ben Waine (striker), Saxon Earley (left back), Will Jenkins Davies (centre mid), Josh Bernard (midfielder)
Contracts offered: Jordan Houghton (centre mid), Mustapha Bundu (striker), Jack Matthews (centre back)
Portsmouth
Released: Cohen Bramall (left-back), Tom Lowery (centre-mid), Alexander Milošević (centre-back), Anthony Scully (striker) and Kusini Yengi (striker)
Preston North End
Released: Emil Riis (striker), Freddie Woodman (goalkeeper), Kian Best (defender), Kian Taylor (defender/midfielder), Patrick Bauer (centre back), Ryan Ledson (centre mid)
Contracts offered: Ched Evans (striker, coaching role), Josh Seary (right back), Kacper Pasiek (left wing back), Robbie Brady (left midfield/defence)
Queens Park Rangers
Released: Kenneth Paal (left-back), Harry Murphy (midfielder)
In talks: Jimmy Dunne (defender), Morgan Fox (defender), Jack Colback (midfielder), Lucas Andersen (winger)
Sheffield United
In talks: Rhian Brewster (striker)
Option triggered: Jack Robinson (defender)
Sheffield Wednesday
Released: Stuart Armstrong (centre mid), Ben Hamer (goalkeeper), Ryo Hatsuse (left back), Michael Ihiekwe (centre back), Marvin Johnson (winger), Pol Valentin (right back), Mallik Wilks (winger)
Contracts offered: Barry Bannan (centre mid), Akin Famewo (centre back), Callum Paterson (midfield/attack)
Options exercised: Anthony Musaba (winger), Michael Smith (centre forward), Josh Windass (forward)
Stoke City
Released: Jordan Thompson (centre mid), Lynden Gooch (full back/winger), Michael Rose (centre back), Enda Stevens (left back)
Contract offered: Emre Tezgel (striker)
Option exercised: Lewis Baker (centre mid)
Swansea City
Released: Joe Allen (centre mid), Kyle Naughton (right-back), Cyrus Christie (right-back), Kristian Pedersen (left-back), Jon McLaughlin (goalkeeper)
Contract offered: Harry Darling (centre-half)
Option exercised: Cameron Congreve (midfielder)
Watford
Released: Angelo Ogbonna (centre-half)
West Bromwich Albion
Released: Semi Ajayi (defender), Grady Diangana (winger), John Swift (midfielder)
Wrexham
Released: Steven Fletcher (striker), Mark Howard (goalkeeper), Josh Adam (centre mid), Jordan Davies (centre mid), Harry Dean (centre-half), Brad Foster (goalkeeper), Liam Hall (goalkeeper), Sam Dalby (striker)
Contract offered: Callum Edwards (right winger)
Option exercised: Aaron James (centre-half)